From the Ashes
by MissCrayons
Summary: Sequel to 17Whatever. After five years will Angel be able to convince Faith that he and Liam arn't so different after all? And how will he react when she reveals the secret that she's been keeping for so long?
1. Episode One

**From The Ashes**

**Introduction - **Well this is it. The sequel to our hit story **17"Whatever"** it could be read as a stand-alone but we highly suggest you read **17"Whatever"** first. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we've enjoyed getting to this point. As always we love constructive critasism & feedback on where you think the story should go. What you like and what you don't.

_Dedicated to MysticWolf, our faithful reviewer_

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**Prologue

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__******

Faith took a very deep, long breath she'd been on the bus for fifteen minutes now and already she was questioning her decision. So much had happened since she'd last been here. How could she show up now? So much had happened, even after Sunnydale.

She'd pretty much settled down, got a nice regular job and a small apartment in her home city. It had been five years. Five long years since she'd stood and watched Sunnydale collapse into itself. Five years since she'd been thrown back in time and met Liam O'Leannin.

Five years changes a person.

On the Slayer side there was back to being only two. After Willow had cast her little, okay big spell it had been brilliant for a while but about a year after they'd noticed a flaw in the plan. Yes there were more slayers, but there was only the same amount of power. So after a horrible few months of all the slayers being as weak as kittens the newly formed watches council, a team of pretty hefty mages (led by Miss Rosenberg) reversed it. Leaving, well no potentials left. Apparently it messed with the order of things so it reset everything. Buffy and her had to be rather careful for a while, else there'd be a four year old who was hanging around in graveyards. Buffy was still doing the slayer thing. Faith had left her to it. She was better at it the dark haired slayer admitted.

That didn't mean Faith didn't like to randomly beat the crap out of vampires and such, it just meant she was still rogue and had no intentions of joining up with the Watchers Council again. No matter who was in charge of it. Plus her priorities had changed somewhat.

She'd also heard about all the havoc that reaped through LA (who hadn't?) for nearly two years. It had been practically abandoned. Of course people are fickle creatures and less than two months after the last 'dragon' sighting people started rebuilding the city and their lives. She'd never really known what had happened of course, but she'd assumed Angel had been in the centre of it. He was still alive Buffy had informed her during one of their forced 'I-don't-really-like-you-but-thought-I'd-better-check-you-were-alive' phone calls. They usually lasted about twenty minutes and tended to regulate on a once every six months basis. Wesley hadn't made it apparently. In fact from what she'd heard Angel, Spike and some blue chick were the only ones that actually did.

She'd also heard through the grapevine that they'd opened a brand new Private Investigator business, a little bit of a step down from Wolfram and Heart.

She didn't even know if she was ready to see Angel again. It had taken her about two years to fully get over Liam she hadn't known what to do. She'd tried men, Principle Wood in Sunnydale and a couple after that but then she'd given up. She spent a bit of the time in a slump, depressed and lost in the past. Of course being the resilient little slayer she was she'd managed to pull herself out of it and focus on what she'd had. Then she threw herself into her work for a while, whilst attending an adult course at college – which she dropped out of six months after joining. Then she'd found something else to distract her and before she knew it she wasn't thinking about him as much, and then not as much turned to hardly at all. The dreams stopped mostly and soon she found herself pretty happy with her life again.

That didn't mean she didn't miss Liam and still think about him a lot. It just meant she'd moved on.

So here she was, on her way to see the man who still walked around in Liam's body. She'd figured a month ago it was time. They had a lot to talk about. They had history. But of course she'd kept putting it off and putting it off. But then she'd had a dream or more a memory mixed with a dream where she was lying back on the riverbanks in Galway in Liam's arms. The sun was high in the sky and they were both languidly enjoying the warm rays. When she'd woken up the last thing she wanted was to see those eyes that wern't his staring back at her.

But she'd left it too long. Now she didn't have a choice. She stroked the long, soft dark hair of her travelling companion who turned and looked up at her impossibly big brown eyes.

"Are we there yet Momma?"

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	2. Episode Two

**From the Ashes**

_Chapter One_**

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**

Faith stood in front of a dirty red-brick building that looked like it had seen better days, it was down a pretty dark alleyway and the pavement was covered in gum and litter. As she opened the door a gush of cool air rushed out and Faith noticed the faded scents of a perfume. It was sickly.

Angel was sitting in his office leafing through what was left of his previously extensive library. It had taken him a few years but it was getting back on track, he still longed for a few of his single-edition texts though. The demon in him sensed the slayer and he looked at the door. He stood and walked out and there she was standing in the harsh light of his office.

Her hair was a little shorter, cut into a neat bob that rested between her shoulders and her chin, perfectly straight and her hair looked glossier that he remembered and darker, it was near enough black. Her skin was pale and her eyes were outlined with dark eye-liner. She was wearing tight-jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt that was torn in several places. It was white and she looked to have something tight and black underneath it.

"Faith" he dragged his eyes to meet hers, they flickered to the little girl standing next to her who had luscious long brown ringlet's framing a chubby little face with the widest pools of hazel eyes he'd ever seen. He looked back to the slayer.

"Angel" she smiled, red lips keeping a firm line.

The little girl scratched her arm absently and looked from her mother to the strange, tall man standing in front of her. She didn't know why they were here but her Mom had told her that if she stayed quiet she could have some candy on the way back to the hotel.

"This is a surprise" he frowned 'to say the least' his head added.

"I would have called" Faith trailed off, she was here for a reason and she knew she couldn't let herself get carried away in small-talk.

"From the last time we spoke" he paused, "I, well, I didn't think I'd be seeing you again"

"No" Faith agreed, "I did say maybe" but Angel's look reflected her own memories, that maybe had meant probably not. Of course when she'd said that she hadn't known she was pregnant. "I heard about everything" she spread her arms in a gesture and then folded them again, he nodded but stayed silent, eyes falling once more on the little girl,

"Who might you be?" he asked, his tones softer, Faith raised an eyebrow hazel eyes looked up to Faith and she nodded,

"Phoenix" the little girl beamed with all the certainty that childhood brings.

"_The bird proudly willing to burn,  
So that he may live again,  
Chooses the flames of fires  
That burn the aged Phoenix  
The nature stands still  
Till a new young bird starts again,  
and begins the legend of the Phoenix" _

_His mother had sung this verse to him many a night when he was young. He could still remember her voice purring it to him as he lay his head down to sleep. Often he'd beg her to tell him the story to, the story of a little boy who'd found a phoenix deep in the forests and brought it home. 'But Phoenix's are wild animals' his mother would say 'and are not meant to be pets. This young boy loved the phoenix dearly but the poor bird did not like it's new cage. One day the boy came home and the bird was burning and he could do nothing but cry. When it was just ash in the cage his father came and emptied it over the gardens. The boy cried and cried for weeks. Years later when he had his own children he heard a singing coming from his youngest son's room and when he went to see what it was it was his very own phoenix sitting on the windowsill. This time he didn't try to tame it, he merely left it and day after day the little bird returned to sing it's song. The family lovingly calling the little bird Eny._

_And the morale of the story my beloved son, is that if you love something truly you must let it free, if it returns to you then it's yours to keep and cherish, if it does not then it was never truly yours to begin with."_

Angel didn't know what triggered the memory and Faith was starting to wonder why Angel was so quite,

"What's up?" Faith asked gently, a little worried that he'd realised that Phoenix looked terribly familiar and the name, 'shit' Faith cursed internally 'why didn't I call her Megan?'

"Nothing" he smiled, "just remembering a story about a Phoenix"

"Everybody at school tells me them" Phoenix sighed, looking bored, Faith scowled,

"Fee. Be polite"

"Sorry Momma" the little girl looked genuine enough,

"Mind if I call you Eny?" Angel smiled as if he was the only one in on the joke, "and maybe one day I'll tell you the story – if it's not too boring for a little girl to hear" he winked and Phoenix grinned,

"Sure" she smiled, looking at her Mom as if to say 'you have some weird friends'.

"I'm Angel" he offered awkwardly,

"And I'm Faith" Faith lightened the mood, "but ya'll ready knew that" she smiled and so did the other two. 'Well this isn't going so badly' Faith thought.

"So what's new?" Faith asked, looking around she realised for the first time the office was empty, Angel read her expression, "Apart from the whole LA war zone thing" Angel's face darkened and Faith commended herself for her ability to put her foot right in it.

"I fought a dragon" he offered,

"Really?" Faith was pretty impressed,

"A dragon?" Phoenix's mouth dropped open, "like in Sleeping Beauty?"

"It's" he searched his mind for an excuse "a play. I'm in a play?"

"Angel. She's young. Not stupid" Faith sighed, and turned just in time to see a very blue Fred walk down the stairs, "what...the?"

"Fred died." Faith's mouth formed an 'oh' and then,

"I'm sorry."

"Wesley and Gunn died too," Faith looked at the floor, "Lorne's okay but doesn't really want much to do with me anymore. I can't say I blame him" Angel sat down and rested his head on the back of the plastic covered sofa. "Spike left" he closed his eyes for a minute then opened them, "it's changed around here Faith."

"Who is this?" Illyria asked, eyeing up Faith and Phoenix sceptically,

"I'm Faith"

"A Slayer?" she frowned "Fred didn't like you."

"Ouch" Faith shot at Angel who shrugged,

"I'm not sure I do either"

"Jesus, Angel you replaced Cordelia well." Angel frowned, so did Illyria. "So you're living with a demon who killed Fred, I'm guessing your a demon?" she shot at the blue woman standing at the other side of the room. All she got in return was a stony-eyed glare.

"You don't get it do you" he looked at her intensely,

"No I don't" Faith defences went back up and she was starting to feel like this wasn't a good idea,

"Too much has happened Faith" he stood, "it's not like it used to be,"

"Nothing is like it used to be" Faith retorted, "but I never figured you for sitting wallowing in your own pity."

"Yes" Angel growled, "I have been wallowing. My friends are dead Faith. You can't barge in here and expect me to welcome you. You abandoned us, you knew what was going on here and you and the rest of your Slayer group didn't come to help. You didn't do anything." His hands balled into fists and he fought to control his temper, what was it with slayers and thinking they could leave and come back and everything would be the same?

"Everybody said you switched sides,"

"And you out of everybody had the least right to condemn me"

"I was a little busy" she spat back, indicating to her daughter,

"So was I. Fighting to save the world. So yes Faith things have changed. I've changed. Obviously you've changed because the Faith I knew wouldn't have runaway from a fight,"

"I didn't run" she challenged,

"You didn't help either, everything changed Faith and in the end I stood alone and watched my friends die."

"Get over it Angel" Faith retorted, sensitivity never being her strong point, "people have gotten over worse. For God's sake Angel you're a vampire. People die. You lose people, shouldn't you be used to it by now?" She wondered when the tension had filled the room and it was so tangible right now you could cut it with a knife. "You think you're the only one who's been suffering?" she tugged her daughters hand and the two were gone leaving Angel stood in the office alone with Illyria's eyes bearing into the back of her head.

"That went well" apparently she'd learnt sarcasm since he'd last noticed.

* * *

A week later and Faith was sitting cross-legged on her hotel bed watching her daughter play with some dolls. She was in the Hyperion but it had been completely revamped and was now a very nice tourist attraction, quite pricey as well. Faith couldn't really afford to stay here but she figured she'd worry about that later. Having taken Phoenix to see all the tourist attractions she could think of Faith was fast running out of excuses to stay. She wasn't even sure why she wanted to. Angel was so far from the man she'd known it hurt to be around him. He wasn't even the vampire she knew anymore. He was a stranger who seemed lost and she knew that she wasn't strong enough to find him. Deep down in her heart of hearts she'd come here hoping he could help her find herself. And now that, that plan wasn't going to happen she was faced with an escalating credit-card bill and no options except to go home to the apartment she'd leased out. So no, even home wasn't an option.

The slayer was pretty much screwed.

Angel on the other hand was sitting in his office and wondering how it could've gotten this far. He had become angry with Faith for no reason at all, practically picked a fight and chased off a girl he'd never expected to see again in his wildest dreams. He needed to find her. She was right, he wasn't the man he was before, nor was he the vampire he was. He wanted to be that again, to be the champion once more. He realised then that it had been months since he had heard from the Powers That Be.

And at that exact moment he had a sicking feeling in his stomach. He knew that feeling, it was danger and he had a feeling he knew the exact location of it.

And so our Hero made way for the sewers.

Faith was still pawing her way through a LA guide trying to find something to take her daughter to, why were so many of the things geared to adults? She didn't think she could stand another bus trip to Disneyland.

Suddenly, there was a knock on her door. Faith's head snapped up.

"Hello," she gulped, a sudden fear that her credit card had hit its limit and it was the hotel manager wanting money. She felt the hand on her before she saw anything and before she could blink she was flying across the room. The door was in splinters and Faith wasn't quite sure what had happened but only one thought flooded her mind.

Phoenix.

"We take" the demon grunted and she heard heavy footsteps by her side. There was more than one. Faith was on her feet but her vision was slightly blurred. She'd banged her head pretty bad on the wall. "We take, we are the takers" he grunted again and Faith grimaced as a fist found it's way into her stomach.

"Who the fuck are you?" she growled through gritted teeth, but the demon didn't answer,

"She's not here" the other one grunted from across the room,

"I'm here" and that voice was crystal clear, and she knew it well, there was noises of a struggle and Faith closed her eyes. "She's safe" he shot at Faith and she finally relaxed enough to let her reflexes and instincts take over. The demon still had Faith pinned against the wall, he lifted her up slightly and Faith winced and the increased pressure on her abdomen. She wriggled but couldn't get free, she managed to get something out of her jeans though,

"You like to take so much?" she leered, "take this?" and she plunged a penknife into his chest. It was too short to do much damage but it was enough for him to slacken his grip enough for Faith to drop to her feet. The demon hissed, the landed a quick kick to his chest and it sent him flailing backwards.

He fell back onto the television stand and the TV took a tumble too the floor shattering magnificently. Faith winced, "I hope you're going to pay for that".

A piece of wood of the stand splintered off and slammed into Angel's back making him stumble, as he stumbled he managed to break the neck of the other demon. Then he got busy pretending he planned on doing that manoeuvre.

"Where's the girl?" the demon was up again and towering over Faith who shrugged,

"I don't know" she answered honestly, she mocked innocence and then lunged at him, making him topple through the plate-glass window, the shattered glass followed him down. "In for a penny," she sighed as she heard everything hit the floor.

"Are you okay?" Angel asked from the shadows of the bathroom, he was all to aware of the sunlight beaming in through the hole were the tinted window once was.

"Five by five" she answered grinning, she turned to face him, "you need to get back in shape, you look out of breath" she mocked,

"I don't breath" he replied matter-of-factly and she shrugged,

"You really must be out-of-shape then" she laughed with a wink, nothing like a good battle to lighten the mood. "You didn't seem too rusty" she smiled.

"I missed fighting with a Slayer" he answered,

"Admit it. You just missed me" she feigned arrogance,

"Yes" he said honestly,

"Missed me so much then come give me a hug" she teased, standing in full sunlight. He arched an eyebrow and she laughed, then she moved to straighten the rumpled bedding but after a glance around the room realised it hadn't done much to minimise the damage. She guessed management would be here soon enough – wondering why their window was four stories below where it should be and shattered into pieces.

"Now, where's my daughter?" she asked,

"Behind me," Phoenix was watching from behind Angel with wide-eyes,

"Great hiding place" Faith's voice was dripping with sarcasm,

"They didn't find her, did they?"

"You okay Fee?" she asked, the little girl nodded quite contently "thank you" she said to Angel but he shook his head. "Still not good with thank-yous" Faith smiled and Angel stayed silent, they stared at each other for a while until Phoenix spoke up,

"Can I watch TV"

"That could be a problem" Faith sighed, looking around the room once again. Phoenix walked over to her Mom and looked around,

"What happened?"

"Angel fell over" Faith smiled, stroking the curls on top of her daughters head.

"I should go" he started and Faith nodded, "Goodbye Eny" he smiled, "Goodbye Faith"

"Seeya" Faith waved, holding her daughter close, and Angel disappeared through the hole in the door.

On his way back through the sewers Angel thought about how close he'd come to kissing her. It had been reflex, a part of him had been so used to doing it, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. But that hadn't been him, just memories of a long time passed. He'd left because otherwise he'd have probably been thrown out of the window as well.

Deep down he still felt everything Liam had felt for her, which shocked him a little. It was probably because he'd remembered everything so recently it had been like re-living it. Re-living all those feelings that he'd long forgotten. That led to the same question that he'd asked a million times over the last five years._ 'Why didn't I remember?'_

* * *

That evening Faith found herself heading over the office again. She'd told the hotel that she'd been robbed by a terrifying looking thing that had tried to kill her and she'd managed to push it out of the window. She'd added just enough hysteria to make them wonder whilst not wanting to throw her in the loony bin. When they looked downstairs though they'd found blood but no body.

They moved her to another room with apologies and were still deciding whether or not to charge her.

"Hey" this time she'd walked straight in.

"Hi" he looked up, a little shocked. She sat down on the chair in front of his desk, swinging her legs over the arm in a position that she'd perfected.

"It's weird" she said after a while, "being back" he nodded, "there was a reason" she added and he raised an eyebrow, "that I came back here"

"You didn't need one" and she looked down, "you're always welcome"

"I didn't get that impression last week,"

"I'm sorry about that"

"It's fine. Forget it"

"Phoenix surprised me" he said honestly,

"She surprised me too" Faith agreed and Angel smiled,

"How old is she?"

"Five"

"So are you going to tell me?" he asked, Faith's stomach dropped and she looked at him eyes wide,

"What?"

"Why you came back?" Angel finished, wondering what made her so jumpy,

"I will" relief flooded her, "just give me some time?"

"Sure. I've got that" he smiled.

"Where is she by the way?"

"With Spike" Faith answered, then seeing the confusion on his face she shrugged "I saved his life a few years ago. He's been my personal babysitter ever since."

"I thought he went back to England. For Buffy" he questioned,

"He did. She told him where to go" Faith answered and Angel nodded, looking rather smug.

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**Notes**

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The story isn't going to be very linear I'm afraid. To find out a lot we'll be injection flashbacks. It's going to be a lot more detailed from the first with greater character depths (hopefully). We don't want to rush it either. It's hard trying to keep the characters canon sometimes because the situations are so far stretched from what they usually would be.

But we're trying our best and trying to show them growing. We hope you like it?

Also where the last story was set in probably the space of one episode this story will be more like a season so it's not going to be as focused. Other things will be happening besides Faith & Angel working on their issues.

So – that's the first chapter, a bit of a taster, more like an extended prologue really because not much has actually happened but like I said we're trying not to rush it.

Thanks to the reviewers – you're why we're trying so hard to keep this as believable as we can. Still working on Angel's reaction though. We know that's going to make or break the story.

Review and we'll see you soon xx


	3. Episode Three

**From The Ashes**

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**Episode Three : Bullsh*t**

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_Set eight months after Faith arrived back in LA with daughter in tow. Not officially part of Angel's team, or anybodies really she does help out when she is needed. She's now living in LA in a small apartment with her daughter._

"Come on Faith" the words broke the silence that had descended over the park, "lets get going" it was dark and at a glance it would be hard to see the two figures that were brushing themselves down. But if you squinted you'd be able to see a youngish girl wiping something of her forehead with her arm. Of course you wouldn't be able to tell it was green slime, and that object in her hand, well nobody would know it was a sword. All you would see is her, taking the other taller silhouettes hand and standing up.

"Well, that was a bowl of laughs" she muttered sarcastically. Looking down at his coat Angel rolled his eyes,

"Damn it" he growled, fingering a large rip in the right side.

"Because you don't have twenty odd more of them at home" more sarcasm, but Angel just glowered. With the great pain of somebody who didn't like to throw things away he peeled of the black duster and threw in into a conveniently placed dumpster. "Next time you should let one live" she winked, "then you could make him pay for a new one." She looked around "Actually, it was probably a good job I was here, otherwise who knows" she shrugged "you _could_ have been walking home naked." The vampire raised an eyebrow but didn't rise to the bait.

"Want a ride?" he offered, about to head on over to his car, she glanced around and then seemed to think better of it and nodded. The two walked over to a parked convertible in silence.

"Who's babysitting for you tonight?"

"Angel, after 200 plus years you're still absolutely rubbish at smalltalk." She jumped into the backseat and he didn't try again after that so the pair drove off in silence.

"You not going to take the front?" he watched Faith sprawled over the backseat in his mirror,

"Nah, I'm enjoying stretching out" she yawned for emphasise, though it could just have been because she was tired.

"I need to see a friend before I drop you off. "

"Go right ahead" she murmured, eyes closed "wake me up when we're there." The car zoomed off through the dark LA night. Even though her eyes were closed, she still felt the fresh night air on her face. The smell of a cooler night after a red-hot day. Her thoughts were drifting back to were the always ended up when she let herself think too long, usually she stopped herself but tonight, well tonight she felt like she had to remember. She let her memories fall into place, the feel of his touch, the warmth of his lips on hers, the feel of his hair, the smell that consumed her whenever she was with him. It wasn't hard for her to picture him beside her, all these years and all she had to do was close her eyes and he was there. She never stopped missing him.

The car skidded to a stop outside of a rough, weathered looking building and somewhere in the back alleys of Los Angeles a young woman named Faith fell asleep on the backseat of a convertible, the same way as she always did. With thoughts of her deceased husband in her head.

As Angel entered a crowded bar, he headed straight through the dancing crowd and down some stairs at the back which blended in so well you could barely notice them. He pushed the door open without knocking and his dark eyes met with red ones.

"Angel-cakes" the welcome wasn't as warm as it sounded, the tones behind it were cold.

"It's been a while."

"Let me guess. A big evil on the loose?" the man stood, "is it you?" this was met with a blank stair. "How can I help?"

"I came for the papers"

"Angel no. I'm retired. Besides, after the last time I'm not sure Lady Luck shines on the members of your team."

"We've got a slayer now."

"Add that to your stunning line up of an ancient blue demon with no powers to speak of and the newly re-claimant of the 'only vampire in the world with a soul' award and you've got one heck of a Broadway show Angel-cakes," Angel's hard stare won and Lorne looked away "so is Little Miss Blondie finally back from England then?"

"Not that I know" Angel looked away this time

"So it's the murdering one?"

"When did you get so cold?" Angel glowered

"It's a hard world Angel."

"You heard about the trouble with the Slayers?"

"What? That Red had to pull it together and retract the power from the other girls because the slayer power wasn't enough to share?" a nod, "guess you could say I heard about it." Lorne's face fell, "I just got my life back together Angel" he looked at the floor,

"I heard you were in a bit of trouble"

"You could say he is" the door swung open, slamming into the wall,

"an Italian mob?" Angel looked at Lorne "this is your life together?" then back to the gangsters "hey, didn't you guys die out in the fifties"? a gunshot caught Angels shoulder and he held his hands up,

"Angel" Lorne warned, but Angel ignored him.

"Amigos" he started and then cursed, "no wait" he feigned cluelessness "that's Spanish" he grinned wickedly and then lunged for the man with the gun, face contorting as the demon beneath took control. As Angel pinned the guy to a wall and was about to snap his arm in two an older man stepped through the door. Angel rolled his eyes, these guys were as human as they came and somewhere deep down he couldn't enjoy the fight knowing it wasn't fair. He landed a swift uppercut to the older mans jaw knocking him out cold and took the gun off the other one, letting him flee with his tail between his legs. Angel went to leave the room and then shot over his shoulder, without turning around;

"You coming?"

"Sure" Lorne sighed dejectedly and the two men walked out of the club. Lorne looked up and down the street but the only car parked had a brunette woman curled up and snoozing in the back-seat, Angel jumped in.

"Is that Faith?" Lorne raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah" the car revved again and sped into the night.

It was about twenty minutes before Faith opened her eyes sleeping and stretched in the back, she sat up languidly and looked between Angel and Lorne.

"Hey" she smiled,

"Hi" Angel smirked,

"Hello" Lorne murmured uncomfortably and Faith giggled,

"Put some music on, I need to wake up" as soon as the radio fired up it wasn't long before Faith was singing along and professing every song that came on as her 'favourite song', Angel was trying to get her to take her 'slimy, muddy boots' off his Italian leather seats and Lorne was wondering how the hell he'd gotten involved in this mess again.

"This is my Goddamn car" Angel growled just as Lorne tuned back into the bickering "get your feet off my seats"

"You sound so Irish when you angry" she purred mockingly, Lorne noted that Faith still enjoying pushing peoples buttons.

"Stop messing around" he shouted, possibly a little louder than he intended, she laughed but didn't move her feet.

"Make me big boy" she chuckled and Lorne was convinced that Angel was going to vamp out any minute and he might well of if it wasn't for the blue flashing lights that pulled up behind them. Angel swore and pulled over. "Uh-oh" Faith grinned, "the Vampire with a Soul has been speeding!" Angel ground his teeth together, it was either that or rip her throat out.

"Evening, sir" the Cop tipped his hat, "do you know how fast you were going?"

"I'm sure you're going to tell us officer" Faith purred from the back, the cop frowned, Angel took a deep breath,

"Sorry."

"Papers." Angel fished them out of the glove compartment and handed them over. Another cop came sauntering over, "Alright I'll let you guys off with a caution" the Officer noted, handing the papers back, "but don't let it happen again. Hope you enjoyed your party."

"What party?" Angel asked blankly and the guy looked nervously at Lorne,

"He means the fancy-dress party we've just been to Angel," Faith shook her head, biting her lip suggestively and smiling at the Officer who licked his lips unconsciously.

"Right" Angel said, not at all clued in. Faith rolled her eyes and eventually the three were on their way again.

"Next time watch your speed" Faith chided "there's only so many times I can shove a sweater up my top and pretend I'm pregnant to get you out of tickets. I'm going to have to start sleeping with the damn Cops to get them off your case soon." She sighed,

"So are you two together now?" Lorne looked between them,

"No" the two said in unison. The shook their heads and laughed,

"You sure are acting like you are. And you're all that's filling this one's head when she's singing" he pointed to Faith, Angel sighed and Faith looked away. The Vampire and the Slayer seemed to be intent on ignoring each other for the rest of the ride home.

'Don't be silly' Lorne muttered to himself under his breath, 'the sexual tension is far to suffocating for them to actually be a couple.'

When Angel pulled up outside her door, Faith jumped out.

"See-ya" she muttered to nobody in-particular and disappeared off into a block of apartments.

"That wasn't awkward at all" Lorne lied,

"It's complicated"

"Yeah" Lorne sighed, "you're not kidding."

"I forgot you read minds" Angel sighed, resting his head against the head rest. Lorne nodded,

"You two should have your own Soap-Opera. But the way you were back then" Lorne shook his head "how the hell are you two managing to raise your poor little girl."

Angel froze.

Lorne stared.

Angel's eyes widened.

His eyes flared.

The two men looked at each other.

The vampires face flashed with anger.

Lorne's eyes widened.

His mouth opened.

"Ange--" but Angel flew out of the car and after Faith without even opening the door. His fist pounded on the door but when it opened his jaw damn near hit the floor.

* * *

**A/N**

Sorry it's been a while. Things have been a little hectic for us. Plus after the last chapter, which I wasn't that happy with we didn't really know where to take the story! Then of course divine intervention hit and suddenly we know exactly what's happening and how this is going to end. We hope you're going to enjoy the direction we take this and I really hope we can start getting some chapters to you on a regular basis!! i've got the next one up and ready to go so it should be posted mere minutes after this, even though it is just backstory.

This is a much harder task that the first story, because where as in a timeline sense that was spanning maybe on episode, this story however will be a series. It's also going to be injecting some things that I think should have been in the end of Angel anyway. Hopefully you'll enjoy reading it.

We have a direction now - I just hope there's no roadworks on the way, review please, keep up the lagging morale of my partner. I have a feeling this is going to be a one woman story by the end and I'm not sure I can do it justice without him!!

Thank you everybody for sticking with it!!

x Crayons & Melek x


	4. Episode Four

**Episode 4 - In the Newer Past**

* * *

**New York - 2004**

* * *

The bar was dark, his eyes raked over the room once more. He didn't have anywhere to be that night. It wasn't unusual, he'd been doing some freelance work as a photographer, some guitar work in a couple of local bands and some temporary work in a couple of music stores but nothing lasted long.

He moved around a lot, he'd been all over the world but maybe it was the wolf in him that made him unable to settle anywhere for very long. Nobody had ever asked him to stay so he kept moving.

He'd been back to Sunnydale to find a big surprise. No Sunnydale. So he'd found out what happened there and headed over to England to meet up with the Scooby Gang once more. He hadn't stayed long, they were different. Buffy had been all about the fight, shutting everybody else out. Willow was in a relationship with a very pretty girl but Oz hadn't really enquired as to that route too much. He wanted to ask what had happened to Tara but he hadn't been brave enough. Xander was Xander in any country, flitting from job to job and trying to get closer to Buffy every chance he got.

So he'd left again and he wasn't sure anybody even missed him.

He'd headed to LA looking for the other half of the gang but when he'd heard who they were working for he'd left without a word. That was far too big for him to dip his toe into, he liked being free too much and he had a feeling if he'd stepped into the building he wouldn't have been free for very long.

So from state to state he'd wandered and now he was back in New York wondering where to go next. He ordered another drink and sighed heavily.

There was a crash over to his left and he wasn't sure whether to look or not, against his better judgement he turned and couldn't hide the surprise on his face when he saw the familiar face of the brunette slayer. He let her continue with whatever it was she was doing. It'd been a long time and although he was very good with faces he didn't want to make a fool of himself if it was the wrong girl.

She came up to the bar next to him an ordered a drink, no doubt it was her. He caught her scent,

"Faith isn't it?" her head spun around and she looked at him quizzically, "Oz" she tilted her head slightly and Oz couldn't help smile, "from _Sunnydale_."

"Oh" Faith turned back to the bar man to order her drink and then sat on the stool next to Oz. She was wearing a very short mini-skirt but a rather baggy black hoodie. A little more than she used to wear back in the day if Oz remembered correctly, "you're the witch's ex" she smiled. Oz gave a nod. "How you been?"

"Not bad" he took a sip from his bottle, she chattered on and he listened. She was telling him about some vampire gang that had been getting a little too close to her for comfort apparently, which incidentally was why she was here to get rid of them. She told him that she didn't come out very much anymore, but avoided telling him why. Oz noted it, he was a good listener and he didn't miss much.

By the time she'd finished her third drink she was telling him in great detail about what happened in Sunnydale.

By her fifth she was entertaining him with a blow by blow account on a dream she'd had about an alligator and Mickey Mouse.

"You've been busy" it was the first line he'd managed to squeeze in. He didn't mind he liked it when other people did the talking. It was about then he caught the scent of undead wafting over from the door, his eyes trailed there.

"Am I keeping you?" Faith sounded indignant,

"Not at all" Oz watched the Vampires walk in, Faith turned and followed his gaze.

"Showtime I guess" Oz smiled in what he hoped was a reassuring way and then the slayer was gone.

* * *

This time he caught her scent the second he walked into the diner. He sat in a booth close to the window, he was staring out of it for a while before she walked up to his table,

"You stalking me?" she was smiling, he turned and frowned, there was a large gash starting on the left of her throat that disappeared somewhere below her plunging cleavage. Oz tried not to follow the line but seeing as he was only a man he failed. By the time he met her eyes again Faith's eyebrow was raised.

"That looks painful"

"You should see the other guy" she smiled but Oz noticed she wasn't as uninhibited as when he saw her a couple of nights ago. She also had dark rings around her eyes and looked like she'd been awake for far too long. The make-up covered it pretty well. "What can I get'cha?"

"Huh?" Oz had been lost in his thoughts,

"Coffee? Menu?"

"Both. Please" Faith walked off and Oz watched her go, the pink uniform wasn't very flattering. The skirt was short but not really short enough to show off her legs and it was too badly shaped to show off her ass. The top was buttoned down the front but was also ill-fitting and baggy. Oz was surprised that somebody that usually exuded sexuality was looking so average.

He ordered some pancakes, Faith brought them over and smiled. When he got up to leave he made sure he walked over to her and said goodbye. He gave her a $10.00 tip for a $4.36 meal.

* * *

When he saw her on a dingy street a few nights later she was arguing with a girl who smelled of lemons and sugar, the smell wasn't as nice as it sounds and Oz's nose crinkled in disgust.

"You promised!" Faith screamed desperately, her whole body was tense with anger,

"I'm sorry." The girl looked at her feet, she looked like she was in her early twenties,

"I want my money back then!" Faith's voice lowered and now she was shaking her head,

"I don't have it anymore," the girl sighed,

"You better get it."

"I'll try"

"You better do more than try" Faith growled, pinning the girl to the wall, the girl was crying,

"Faith!" Oz shouted, Faith turned, letting the girl go.

"I'm sorry" she squeaked as she ran off, Oz walked up to Faith who was glaring at the wall,

"You okay?" she nodded, he placed a hand on her shoulder she stood still for a minute before she shrugged it off,

"I better get home." She took a few steps and turned around, "thank you." Oz didn't need to ask for what, he understood that he'd stopped her doing something she'd regret, now her temper was back under control. He understood. There were times the wolf slipped. They both wore a mask.

"You're welcome" and she was gone into the New York darkness.

* * *

"We need to stop running into each other like this." They smiled at each other,

"I needed milk" she grinned holding up her basket, he didn't ask about the other things in her basket. He had a feeling he knew the signs.

"I needed something for dinner" she looked into his,

"Meal for one?" she wondered, he nodded.

The saw each other at the checkouts and exchanged smiles, he would have asked her to come over for coffee but she was gone by the time he'd paid.

* * *

"You work here now?"

"I work everywhere sweetheart" she winked and pulled a bottle of beer out of the cooler, sliding it down the bar she returned the wink of the waiting guy. She looked better tonight Oz decided. The bags were gone and her make-up was flawless, he could smell the thick foundation though and wondered what she was covering up. The gash along her throat and cleavage was barely there now, just a faint line. Slayer healing he figured. Her clothes were more fitting as well, tight leather shorts and a baby-doll t-shirt with a skull and crossbones over it. A cross decorated her cleavage, hiding well the worst part of the healing wound. She smelled good too.

He realised he was over scrutinizing her when he felt the tightening in his pants,

"What can I get you?"

"Just a beer"

"Sure thing" she produced one from under the bar. They talked for a while, every now and again stopping whilst she returned the flirting with strangers, reaping the reward of their tips for her time.

"Faith" a voice bellowed from behind the bar, she rolled her eyes and headed back there. Another girl came out ten minutes later and Oz didn't see her again that night.

* * *

He headed to the diner on purpose the next day hoping to see her. He waited but she didn't arrive so he asked one of the other girls who told him she was off sick. He paid and left.

* * *

The smell of the city was behind him, he'd gone upstate to find some forests where there would be no people, he'd wandered for a while but couldn't find any scent of humanity around. The wolf needed to be let loose, he knew the animal inside him now and he could contain him for so long, but if he tried to deny the wolf time to run and be free it would gradually consume him. So it was a compromise. He decided when and where and then he'd let go. Once in a while he found another wolf to run with but usually he was alone.

He let go and the pain ripped through him, pain that he never quite got used to, his thoughts melted away somewhat, still taking form in his subconscious though. Deep down he was still in control. Smells flooded his nostrils, the need to run consumed him so he did. He caught a few birds and ate them the blood-lust satisfied.

Just then another scent caught him off-guard.

People.

He headed towards the campfire, loitering the the thick trees around, observing the campers. They were warm and he could smell food, beer, pot and sex all over them. He darted left and one of them caught the movement and started to scream. A boy came to investigate, Oz growled and the group started to run.

The wolf hesitated for a while, Oz trying to regain control but the wolf had just eaten and was strong. The adrenaline kicked in and the wolf gave chase. The people were screaming and Oz wished they would stop. Just then something bowled him over sending both him and the other body rolling through the underbrush in a flurry of skin and fur. He smelt blood, but mostly he smelt her. The interruption allowed him to her the upper hand and he changed back.

"Oz?" her eyes were wide, her arms scratched from the tumble. It was then she realised he was naked and she was on top. Her eyes got wider but before she could move his hand snaked behind her neck and he pulled her down, their lips meeting in a searing kiss. It didn't take long until she was naked too and there under the light of the full moon the Werewolf and the Slayer made love for the first time. And the second.

Oz found some jeans that fitted him in the newly abandoned camp and the two walked back into the city. They got a cab back to Faith's place, he pulled her in for a kiss before she got out of the cab.

"Call me" she nodded. He had a feeling she wouldn't.

* * *

He found her in the diner a few weeks later, she saw him and made to dart away but he grabbed her arm. A couple of the people in the area turned to watch them, Oz realised it looked bad but he knew that she'd stopped and no matter how strong the wolf in him was _he_ wouldn't be able to hold a Slayer against her will.

"What?"

"We need to talk?" she glanced around and met the stares of her co-workers and customers, then she met Oz's eyes and realised he wasn't going to let this go,

"I get off in ten."

"I'll wait outside"

He waited outside, leaning against the ally by the back door, Faith came out after twenty, he figured that she'd hoped he'd get bored and wander off, but she didn't look surprised to see he hadn't. "You didn't call."

"I've been busy"

"Faith-"

"_Oz_" she interrupted, "we had sex, no big deal"

"I don't know about you but I don't _just_ have sex" she looked around, eyes searching for something to focus on that wasn't him,

"Look. My life" she sighed "it's _complicated_, you wouldn't want to get involved" he took a step towards her and kissed her deeply, she kissed him back. He pulled away, they were close, nose to nose.

"I kind of already am."

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It wasn't what he was expecting. He'd read the signs and come up with completely the wrong answer. He was sitting in her living room in shock and it took a lot to shock him. He'd expected something big, the dark eyes, the odd items, the multiple jobs and the arguing with a girl in the alley all pointed to something.

But never this.

He never imagined this.

"She's beautiful" he cradled the small thing in his arms, "how old?"

"Three months" Faith sighed, her head was in her hands, "I told you my life was complicated."

"Who's the father?" he asked, rocking the cooing little girl back and forth

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you" he looked at her,

"Try me"

"It's a long story"

"I have time" and he sat down next to Faith cradling her little newborn daughter and wondering why she was so determined to keep this beautiful little thing a secret.

* * *

**A/N**

**Hope you enjoyed the backstory - I know it's more filler than anything but Faith & Phoenix have got a lot of backstory that is relevent to who she is now. I personally love ready about characters past but I know there is nothing more annoying than when you're desperate to get on with the story and the author is pawning you off with filler that you don't really need. I toyed with the idea of releasing this as a seperate story and giving you the option to read it or not but I decided not to.**

**Also I should point out that I went solo on this chapter so if it's not up to usual standards I'm sorry! We're both busy working on the 'Angel finding out scene' but it's taking us a while as we're desperate to get it perfect. We've written it several times with different outcomes ranging from Angel and Faith coming to blows to them falling into bed with each other.**

**None of them seem right however and since we're aiming for perfection we'll keep at it until we're happy.**

**A re-write of Episode two is in the works again (because i'm not happy with it at all).**

**Anyways, enjoy.**

**x Crayons x**


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